Dark Eclipse
by Dark Lion
Summary: (This is Dark Dragoon *Now Demon Wolf* and Space Lion paired up!) The Blade Breakers have to help two girls before their bit beasts cause serious damage to themselves, and everyone else. But what if they don't want their help?
1. Beginning of the End

Author's Notes: Greetings all! This is the first chapter of our ficcie! Mwuahahahaha, the smooshed up duo Space Lion and Dark Dragoon have come together to amuse you with our wild antics ;) I've been watching too much TV, ignore me. 

I volunteered to write the first chap, so prepare yourselves for the worse of the two authoresses work! Dude! Little teenager work is crapola I tell you! CRAPOLA! ^_^ I'm sorry, I just had to do that, it's a habit. MwuahahahahaHA! The effects of Tylenol 3's have worn off and now I'm back to being insane! Aren't you all lucky? ^.^ DUDE! Foolish mortals!

Oops, must explain a 'lil of this storyline. Ok, the first part is in Russia, with Kai in the abbey with Black Dranzer. The other part is…….the other part. ^.^ And Space Lion's OC, Natayla is in this fic, along with another of her OC's Parley and my OC Rika ^_^

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Chapter One: Beginning of the End

Kai frowned inwardly as a drop of water splashed onto his bare shoulder. The dank abbey was incredibly cold; the only sounds were the exhaling of his lungs. His breath hung in the air, fogging in front of his face in a warm cloud. Another icy burn followed as a second droplet of water hit his ice-cold skin. '_The cold won't stop me……._' He thought, hand clenching around the object clutched in his fist. 

Nothing would stop him. Not with Black Dranzer.

Emotionless eyes gazed at the beyblade in his palm. The only thing that mattered. Black Dranzer was the most powerful blade in existence and it was his. The one thing he had yearned for since childhood was his. He was stronger, faster, and smarter because of it. It had changed him, perfected every skill, heightened every sense. He was the ultimate beyblader, and he had the ultimate blade. '_Nothing will stop me. I will have the power of every bit beast at my_ _control._' His thoughts echoed the same thing over again and again. 

Feet stepped onto the edge of the practice dish. Black Dranzer was fastened to his launcher with a smooth '_click_'. The air was sliced open as the pitch-black beyblade effortlessly spun into the dish at speeds unimaginable to normal beybladers. An unbroken sequence of training routines followed, executed perfectly with ease. Kai held his open palm to the dish, the blade automatically flying into his palm. '_This isn't even a challenge. Boris underestimated our power_ _once again._' It was time to quit wasting time with meaningless practice. Neither the beyblade nor the beyblader needed anymore of it.

Kai's white scarf billowed out behind him as he walked away from the training dish, not stopping as he entered one of the numerous tunnels that spider webbed underneath the abbey. Seemingly knowing where he was going, the teen kept striding down the dingy corridor, passing robed men as he went. A large stone archway opened on his left, the sounds of the recruits repeated chanting echoing down the halls. Kai passed the room without so much as a glance, barely aware of their worthless attempts at achieving perfection. They were not worthy of perfection as he was.

His swift strides carried him along the dreary corridors, the temperature dropping even more as he kept moving. Kai saw fewer people after a while, and soon all sounds ceased yet again except for the reverberated echoes of his footfalls. Boris's private quarters were located far from any of the more public chambers in this icy prison; along with the Kai's own chambers. '_I am sick of this endless routine. Every day is mirrored by the last……._' It was better to return to his corridors and await another day of training. Sleep was only a memory; Kai would only spend the rest of the night watching his breath freeze in the air.

The sound of his steps was pounding in his ears, and soon even that became nonexistent to him. The silence became deafening. But suddenly…….the hairs on the back of his neck rose, halting him in his place. Two corridors stretched out on either side of him, forcing him to decide which dark tunnel to take. The tunnel to his right was the way to his chambers, the place where his sanity could be remotely pieced back together. The one on the left was where the unsettling feeling was emanating from. The scent of something was in the air.

Kai turned to the left, brown eyes probing the opaque darkness. If he travelled to the end of this tunnel, he would hit Boris's chambers, the only place in this abbey he refused to venture. Black filled his vision, before he broke through the shadows and was bathed in the warmth of torchlight. A row of bright flames adorned either wall as he walked, aiding his sight. 

He paused, the low tone of voices reaching his ears. Sliding up against the cold stone, he sprinted along its surface, following the sounds of voices. A corner was fast approaching, and he stopped inches away from the edge. The voices were just around this bend, but he knew not to warn them of his presence. The conversation was much too soft to understand, Kai being forced to peer around the dull stone.

He could see Boris's face shining in the torchlight, and he could also see the backs of two girls in front of him. Boris was murmuring in a low tone, holding his palm out to the two. They were staring at the objects he held, until the shorter of the females reached forward and snatched whatever it was out of his hand. Boris smiled and watched the second girl waver uncertainly. She tugged a strand of curly red hair behind her ear, before slowly reaching out and grasping the second object in his palm.

Kai frowned. '_Nothing but a waste of my time……._' He thought crossly.

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(TWO YEARS LATER)

"Ugh, you'd think someone could have warned me it was so cold here!" Tyson growled angrily, rubbing his chilled arms.

"I must have reminded you a million times to bring a jacket, but did you listen? No." Max laughed, shoving his hands into his own warm jacket.

Five teenagers were gathered around a railing, talking and fooling around on a Canadian city street. The World Beyblading Championships were long over, leaving the now sixteen-year-old beybladers to tour other countries of their choice. Max had gathered the Blade Breakers back together, suggesting some vacation time with old buddies. Kenny and his endless knowledge of current events had proposed Canada, for festivals of all sorts were taking place at the moment, tourists flocking from all parts of the world to visit them.

"Tyson it's not cold! It's summer, not winter." Ray said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Ray's right, Canada isn't even a very cold country even for foreigners like you, Tyson." Kenny agreed, adjusting his glasses.

"Are we talking about the same place!? Uh…….what's the name of this city again…….?" Tyson asked weakly, earning exasperated looks.

"Edmonton, Tyson. The capital of Alberta." Kai said bluntly, working on his hindered knowledge of Canada. 

"Well, Edmonton's FREEZING!" Tyson cried, finishing his last thought.

Ray shook his head. "Well you're the only one who seems to have a problem with the temperature." He gestured to the people walking along the street in their summer clothes. "They aren't bundled up in parkas, now are they? And I bet more than half of them are tourists."

"I guess some people just adapt better……." Kenny said, watching Tyson shiver slightly.

Max suddenly yelped and jumped away from the curb, as a motorcycle went roaring past them. He sighed in relief and sagged against the railing; thankful he wasn't a street pancake. Kai looked after the jet-black bike disdainfully, turning away in displeasure.

"I see they give licenses out to Special Needs these days……." Kai commented irritably. 

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A sneaker touched against the curb, as the owner of the motorcycle parked up next to a spindly tree. The driver swung off and onto the pavement, leaving room for the extra two passengers to slide off. A small boy lifted one leg over the seat and dropped to the ground, tugging a black helmet off his head of brown hair. The last passenger at the back fluently stepped off, pulling another black helmet off her head. A storm of red hair fell to her shoulder in curls, the girl raising a hand to pull it away from her face.

"I hate helmet head!" the boy said, smoothing out the wild brown hair on his head.

He was wearing a pair of black shorts, and a large grey sweatshirt. Both were much too big for his small frame, hiding the fact he was insanely skinny for eleven years of age. He was short, with hazel eyes that shone with a stubborn hue. 

The girl that had been sitting behind him leaned back against the bike with one leg on the curb. She was tall, wearing a plain pair of black pants and a forest green t-shirt without any sleeves. Her hands were adorned with fingerless back gloves, and as she flicked something off her shoulder she pulled them on more tightly. Green eyes landed on the third person of their threesome. 

The driver of the motorcycle met the gaze evenly, reaching up to pull the third black helmet off her head. A head of blonde hair was revealed, pulled up into a ponytail. Lavender eyes gleamed in the sun, as the girl rolled her shoulders in a stretch. She was shorter than her female companion, but was just as slender in build. Black pants covered her legs, as did a black tank top and a black jacket over that. She tossed her helmet onto the bike, tugging off her jacket and flinging it over her shoulder. A black bandanna was tied around her upper arm, which was revealed as she turned to her companions.

"Ok Parley, do your thing while we tend to some business." She said, handing the boy a list.

He took it in both hands, nodding. The two girls walked away, making their way up the street. Parley watched them go for a moment, before scanning over the things on the list. '_Time for some grocery shopping, good thing Tayla wrote_ _down prices this time._' He thought, reading the wispy print. 

The name of the game was stealing, and he needed to swipe enough cash to pay for all the things on the list. Prices were especially helpful because he would know whether or not to take the whole wallet or just a small amount of money. He wrinkled his nose as he saw Tayla had added some monthly feminine products at the end. '_Doubly good_ _that I only steal the cash……._'

He began to make his way down the street, 'accidentally' running into people like a drunk. His hands dove into pockets, picking out bundles of paper bills. After a while, the pockets in his shorts were beginning to get heavy so he figured he had enough. He walked along the sidewalk, jumping on the cracks as he went. 

As he raised his hazel eyes to watch where he was going, he spotted a window of an ice cream shop. His mouth watered as he made his way up and pressed his face against the glass, ogling the different ice creams. Parley's stomach growled loudly under his sweatshirt, informing him he needed something to eat. "I want some ice cream." He stated aloud.

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"Hey guys, look at that kid." Tyson said, indicating the boy with his nose pressed to a store window.

"I wonder where his parents are……." Kenny said, looking up and down the street.

"Man, he looks like he's going to eat through the glass!" Max commented, watching the boy lean forward against the glass.

"He just wants a sugar buzz." Kai stated, knowing kids were always after candy.

"I bet he wants some ice cream." Ray commented, reaching into his pocket.

The Chinese teen made his way across the sidewalk, and up to the boy. He knelt and looked through the window with the oblivious boy. "You want some?" he asked, watching the boy spin in surprise.

"Huh?" the kid asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ice cream. Do you want some?" Ray asked, the boy slowly nodding his head. "C'mon then, I'll get you some."

The boy hesitated, before hurriedly following Ray into the store. Golden eyes watched the kid pick out a kind, before he paid the guy at the counter for it. The little boy took the dish of chocolate ice cream and walked away from Ray without a word, seating himself at a table. Ray rolled his eyes and sat next to the boy, watching him wolf down the triple scoops. The kid had chocolate smeared around his mouth, but he didn't seem to mind. After a while of silence, the kid slowly raised his eyes and stared at Ray. "I've never had ice cream from a dish before."

"More of a cone person, huh?" Ray asked, as the boy furrowed his brow.

Parley didn't answer, but felt his hand twitch slightly. His gaze slid down to the boy's pants pocket, and before the raven-haired teen even noticed anything, Parley had deftly swiped the Driger blade. His fingers closed around the cool metal, slipping it into his short's pocket. He went to say something to break the quiet, when the door's bells rang. He turned around and raised himself on his knees when he saw whom it was.

Lavender eyes flashed as the two girls walked in the door. "What are you doing!?" the blonde one cried.

The rest of the Breakers were watching the exchange from outside. They saw the kid slide out of his seat and grab the blonde's hand as she yelled at Ray. The redhead yawned and turned her head in their direction, and it felt like something snapped through Kai's conscious. '_Do I…….know her?_' he thought.

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Yay! First chapter goodness! I finished the first chapter! Mwuahahahaha! *does little dance* Remember, any questions will be answered in Space Lion's Author's Notes next chapter ;) And she's on second chap duty! This is me signing off for now!  ~Dark Dragoon~


	2. Wild Goose Chase

Author's Note:  Gwaha!!!  It's Space Lion here, running on three hours or so of sleep!  Of course, this is likely going to be written over the span of a few days, so it may or may not be change after.  I tend to write better when I'm tired.

Some other notes.  These places in Edmonton actually exist, and Edmonton does hold an amazing amount of yearly festivals over the summer.  It was said in the first chappie that the Bladebreakers are 16 years old in this fic.  ANNND, my fellow authoress DOES NOT write crapola stuff!  There, that said, let's get on with it.

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Chapter 2:  Wild Goose Chase

The Bladebreakers standing outside the window listened as the enraged teen's voice carried out of the store, and onto the side walk, causing the people passing by to stop and stare.  The Breakers were soon surrounded in a crowd three people deep, and they were all staring into the store with curiosity.

Tyson glanced at all the people, did a double take, and then asked what looked like one of the local natives why they were all just standing there, most with appreciative looks on their faces.

"Man, this is Whyte Ave., during the Fringe Festival," the teenager replied, nodding.  Tyson stared at him and wondered if he had missed something.

"Yeah, so?"

The teenager looked at him, brows rising.  "You mean this isn't an act?"  Tyson shook his head and almost got pushed into Max as the crowd suddenly deepened.  Kai was completely oblivious as he stood up to the window, wondering where he had seen the redhead before, when she turned her eyes to meet his, and for a brief moment, time stood still.  Kai felt another flash of something, an almost physical jolt starting from his head and ending at his feet.

For her part, she stared at Kai intensely, and then her attention skipped over to the crowd of people.  Amusement flickered across her face, and she turned back to the blond.

"Just what do you think you're doing, you dumbass?" She shouted, apparently just now getting around to requesting any information.  She fairly oozed rage, her violet eyes snapping, her mouth set into a grim line.  Oddly enough, her anger didn't affect the boy standing next to her.  He was practically dancing with amused glee, licking his lips to get the chocolate off of his mouth.

"What are you talking about?" Ray finally asked, totally flabbergasted by this short blond girl—_teen_, his mind whispered.

"You practically steal my younger brother off the streets and you're asking me what I'm talking about?"  She gestured to Parley, who was grinning from ear to ear at Ray.  He stifled the urge to cuff the kid and turned his attention back to the outraged sister.

"I only got him some ice cream," he said, as calmly as he could.  Ray was starting to loose his patience, though.

The teenaged girl standing across from him let out a derisive snort, her voice lowering to a sarcastic tone.  "That's the way it starts, isn't it?  You give a young kid some ice cream and gain his trust and then you snatch him up for your own dark purposes."  

Ray could hardly contain his shock at such an untrue accusation.  He was about to deny it, loudly, when he saw the dark delight glittering in her eyes.  That's when he noticed the large crowd gathered outside of the ice cream store, and realized she had seen it a long time ago.  She was purposely egging him on!

"Now just hold on a second!" He half snarled, pupils slitting.

"I don't hold on for anyone, much less a pompous arrogant jackass with fake fangs!"  She was serious now.  "Do you go around buying ice cream for kids all the time?  How……sweet."  She let that last word drop out like venom.

His temper was about fly unchecked, when a throat being cleared interrupted them both.  The redhead stood there, unruffled as two pairs of murderous eyes turned her way.  "This is all very enjoyable, but perhaps we can part ways?  My friends and I have a few things we need to do," this last aimed at the blond and her brother.  At some unseen signal, the girl dressed in green and black stepped out of the ice cream store and waved her hands around, calling out loudly.  "Alright, folks!  The show is over."  

Giving a good-natured grin to all the groans of disappointment, she turned towards the four by the window that weren't departing.  Her eyes narrowed slightly as they all turned towards her, staring.  Used to appraising stares, she didn't mind the way the three shorter ones were watching her, but the fourth's gaze made her uneasy.  She was reminded suddenly of the intense staring contest held earlier, and she abruptly glanced away, arms crossing.

In the ice cream shop, the blond glanced to her brother, smiling fondly as the scamp grinned up at her.  "So, did you get the stuff we needed?" she asked, ruffling his hair lightly.

"Not yet, Rika, but I did get……." The eleven-year-old paused, digging through all of his pockets, taking out a bunch of money, and on the top, a beyblade.  "Uh."  He tried for innocent.  "Now how did that get here?"

Ray's eyes widened as he recognized the beyblade lying on top of the small mountain of cash and coins as his own.  "That's Driger!"

Parley shoved the money back into his pockets quickly and snickered, calling out over his shoulder as he zipped away, "It's mine now!"

The blond growled under her breath and ran after the kid, yelling, "Damn it, Parley, you've got our grocery list!  Get back here!"  Ray stared after them, stunned, and then he moved—quickly out the door and after the two.  The girl standing by the door watched the two run past her and heaved a sigh, turning on her heel to prepare for a chase, when she ran into Ray.  Surprisingly more agile than the Chinese teenager, she stayed on her feet while he fell back.

"Oops.  Sorry!" she offered before running after her two friends.  Ray got to his feet quickly and, at the incredulous stares he was receiving from his teammates, pointed after the three.  "He's got my beyblade!"

Galvanized into action, the Bladebreakers ran after the two teenage girls and the younger boy.  About halfway down two streets from where they had been, Rika caught up with Parley, and Natayla joined them.

"What's going on?" Natayla demanded, breaths coming out into short gasps.

"That jackass freaked out," Rika replied, shooting a suspicious glare at Parley.  He was dashing along, the coins in his pockets making him jingle with every step, but he barely looked winded.

"We know these streets better than they do," Natayla said after a few moments, and a glance over her shoulder to see if they were still following.  They were.  Rika shared a conspiratorially grin with her best friend, and they grabbed Parley to suddenly change direction.  

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_How hard is it to loose a bright red haired girl_? Kai asked himself, disgusted.  When the three they were chasing turned the corner, they had lost them.  Now the five Bladebreakers were standing by a busy street, storefronts on one side, and a festival on the other, searching in what seemed like vain for them.  On top of that, Kai still couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen those two teenagers before, but from where?

"Look!" Max exclaimed suddenly, catching sight of three heads turning another corner, one red, one pale, bright blond, and one brown.  Ray muttered and kicked into a run again, the other four following him at a slower pace.  They walked down the alleyway, and Tyson threw his arms into the air at seeing that it was a dead end and abandoned.

"Why can't they just stay still?"

A voice called from the front of the alley, light with mischief, "Where's the fun in that?"  They all turned and stared in astonishment.  The two sixteen year old girls were standing on the top of a large dumpster that had been moved into the mouth of the alley, effectively trapping them for the time being.

Rika flashed a smirk at all of them and waved mockingly before leaping off.  Natayla followed her friend more slowly, just in time to catch the infuriated shouts following their descent.  Sharing an amused snicker between themselves, they met up with Parley and started back to the motorcycle, deciding to get the groceries together.

Just as they were about to make a graceful getaway, they were stopped by an elderly man's voice behind them.  "Excuse me!"

Rika let out a frustrated sigh and was about to get on the bike anyhow, but Natayla turned and smiled politely.  "Yes?"

The man stopped and gazed at Parley behind thick classes, and his large nose stuck into the air after a few moments.  "Are you two the guardians of this young child?"

"What's it to you?" Rika muttered, half sitting, half leaning against her motorcycle.  Parley squirmed under the unaccustomed to attention and inched towards Rika, his thin frame hiding behind her.

"Do you feed him enough?" came the unexpected comment.  Rika stared at the elderly man, uncomprehendingly.  Feed him?  Her dazed mind remembered the big bowl of cereal, two pancakes, and the slice of toast with jam on it that Parley had wolfed down earlier that morning, along with the three cups of various juices.  Was this guy on drugs?

"Yes, sir, I believe we do," Natayla replied, calmly.  Rika could only marvel at her friend's ability to remain amicable, not matter the circumstances.

"You see, I am a Doctor!" he continued pompously, as if he hadn't heard the teenaged girl.  "And he looks extremely underfed.  Starving, in fact."

"Look, if you saw how much he eats in a day, you'd have no doubts that we feed him enough, so just lay off, okay?" Rika snapped out, tired of all these people presuming to tell or show her how to take care of her younger brother.  He may be a pest and a pain in the ass sometimes, but she had been taking care of him for years now, and could handle it.  The so-called doctor drew himself up to his full height, which was still shorter than Rika, and huffed indignantly.

"You hardly look like you can take care of him, miss."

At that, Rika's eyes narrowed, and she prepared for battle.  "I can assure you that I take care of my brother just fine," she said, coolly.

Another voice interjected, drawling out irritatingly.  "Oh, I don't know.  He certainly ate that ice cream as if he had no food.  And you certainly didn't do anything about him stealing my beyblade."  Ray stood behind them, glowering, his amber eyes dark.

Rika whirled around, hands clenched to either side of her.  "I didn't know it was yours! Will you just drop it and lay off?  You're really starting to bug me."

"I will," Ray started, arms crossing, "when you give me back my beyblade, and apologize for that scene in the ice cream shop."

Natayla saw the warning signs much faster than everyone else, and stepped forward to stop Rika from blowing up, but stopped when Parley trotted up to Ray and held out his beyblade.

"Here.  Sorry I stole it," he muttered, eyes downcast.  "And don't make Rika apologize.  That's just how she is.  Protective."

Rika's anger cooled as her little brother looked back at her sheepishly.

"Now, about that young boy getting enough nutrition," the man said behind them, arms crossing.

"Yes, we're going to get groceries today, and he'll get enough to eat," Natayla said firmly, face making it clear that she would take no more arguing from the doctor.  One look at those large green eyes, and he relented.  Natayla turned back and her eyes met Kai's, who had been watching her closely the entire time.  Startled, she felt rooted to the spot until Rika grabbed her arm.

"Let's go," she muttered, gazing at the Bladebreakers distrustfully.  Natayla gulped and nodded, turning to the motorcycle and putting the helmet on.  Parley and Rika followed suit, and they drove off in a roar of the engines without even saying goodbye.

"I certainly hope we're done all this running around," Kenny said, glancing to each of his teammates.  Kai was the last to turn away, and when he did, recognition startled him into a dead stop.

"Damn it!" His sudden exclamation made the others pause and stare at him, confused.  He had reconstructed the last place he had seen those two heads, and he couldn't believe that they were the ones from the abbey, but that explained his instinct that he knew these two from somewhere.  "Why didn't I see it before?" he muttered to himself.

"See what before, Kai?" Tyson asked reasonably, his head tilting curiously.

"I've seen those two before," he paused, shaking his head.  "And you'll never believe where……"

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Author's Notes:  Cliffhanger!! GWAHAHAHA!!! Well, ok, not really.  ^_^  Passing the baton onto Dark Dragoon now. ^_^  Hope you all liked it!


	3. Anger Management

Author's Notes: Mwuahaha*cough*HA! I'm back in the house, and ready to write! Or rock. Or rumble. Whatever works ^_^. Well…I can't remember if there were any questions in the reviews, but oh well. Anyhoo, I feel obligated enough to say I think this chapter might be deemed worthy of my praise XD XD. Dude, that'd be a first. So read on, and whatever else you guys do. Point out grammatical errors, gasp at my potty mouth, or laugh at the snooty doctors, each to his own.

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Chapter 3: Anger Management

'_Ugh, feeding time yet again…_' Tayla groaned in her thoughts, being knocked back into consciousness from her dead sleep. She regretfully sat up, hearing her stiff body creak in protest. Her hearing picked up the subtle sounds of a waking child in the room beside hers. It seemed her internal alarm clock was finely tuned to the boy's. The paper-thin walls gave her a chance to hear the dead silence coming from the room on her other side. 

"Figures she wouldn't have the willpower to roll out of bed so early…" Natayla sighed, touching a hand to her forehead as she got up and out of the lumpy bed. 

Her room was less than spacious, with a bed, dresser, and nightstand crammed into a room with faded wallpaper adorning the walls. A small window was fixed in the wall, covered with tattered curtains that served to keep out small amounts of the blinding sunlight. She pulled them back with a '_whoosh_' letting the warm glow spill into her room. The windowsill creaked as she rested her palms on it, after wrestling to raise the sticky window. Deciding to reminisce later, she turned away from observing the outdoors and pulled on her usual attire. Speed was the key these days, with Parley on a rampage in the mornings.

As if on cue, she heard him in the hallway, "I'm hungry! Someone make me breakfast!" before the wild boy trotted down to the small kitchen. Sighing, Tayla protectively took her beyblade before leaving her room. The door opened with a loud creak, as she stepped onto the worn floorboards.

The hall she stood in was small, with three bedrooms side-by-side down it. The wallpaper was a cross between a faded peach and yellow, with a dreary bordering of flowers on the top and bottom. Mentally noting to renovate the place, Natayla walked through the arch that opened into the kitchen. The living room was off to the left, and in the hall behind it, was another bedroom and the bathroom.

"I want bacon! I want eggs! Tayla, Tayla, please deliver!" Parley sang, bouncing up and down on the stool at the counter.

"Yes master, I'll get right on that," Natayla winked, pulling on her favorite apron. "But you know I can't make any edible masterpieces without this!" she teased.

"Yum, yum, yum, Rika's a lazy bum!" Parley chorused, watching Natayla start their breakfasts.

Before he could come up with another verse, Rika's groggy form silently appeared in the kitchen's threshold, "I heard that, you little Care Bear lover." she retorted, breezing past them towards the bathroom.

"But the Power Rangers are *so* much cooler!" Parley shouted sarcastically, crossing his arms indignantly. 

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'_I can't believe it! I almost wonder if Kai's lost it._' Max thought, watching the people begin to start the day from his view on the balcony. '_From the abbey…that means something serious._' he contemplated, drawing up a mental image of Black Dranzer, and imagining two duplicates running loose around the city.

From his perch on his hotel room's balcony, Max vaguely wondered if the others were mulling over life threatening bit beasts before they wandered down for breakfast, as well. '_It's probably just me…but then again, I don't think_ _the others really believe those girls are from the abbey, or that they're packing Black Dranzer clones._' Max thought, frowning unconsciously. But Kai had been dead serious when he'd explained where he remembered them from, not that he had thoroughly clarified much, except for the fact he suspected those girls might be working for Boris. '_But_ _Biovolt is long gone, that company was demolished years ago. But…Boris wasn't arrested like Voltare…does that_ _mean…?_'

Max's inquiring thoughts were interrupted as someone knocked on his door. "Hey, Chief!" he greeted, as Kenny quietly opened the door and closed it behind him.

"Good morning." Kenny said, padding across the carpet to stand next to Max on the balcony. A long silence followed, a companionable quiet. After a while, the Chief adjusted his glasses before turning toward Max. "I was thinking about what Kai said yesterday, I guess I came in here to make sure I wasn't in some horrible nightmare."

At that Max laughed quietly. "I know what you mean. It's pretty creepy thinking there're two other abbey trainees out there, ones with bit beasts like Black Dranzer," he paused then, staring down into the streets. "I also kind of wondered if they're as dangerous."

Kenny didn't answer right away, resting his laptop on the railing and opening it. "Jeez Max, do you think Black Dranzer wannabees are going to be all sunshine and kittens?" Dizzi piped up, voicing her own opinion.

"It's what Dizzi and I were discussing this morning," Kenny said, meeting Max's gaze. "I'm beginning to agree with her. No matter how much we want to overlook this new information, we can't. If what we've experienced in the past is any indication, then we know that these girls are genuinely dangerous. Especially if they do have bit beasts from Boris's abbey."

"_And_ if they're stealing bit beasts in the process!" Dizzi said, hitting the nail on the head.

"I think I know where you're getting at, Kenny," Max sighed, not exactly elated about what he knew was coming. "You want us to find them."

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Tayla smiled, leaning over the wobbly coffee table and tapping the paper with her finger. "Good job, Parley! You're really getting this. Now tell me what this figure of speech does and then we'll take a break." 

Parley wasn't able to go to school like other kids, so Natayla taught him as a poor substitute for Public School. He really was a quick learner, and seemed to be managing just fine with home schooling. At times it was hard for a sixteen-year-old to teach a child the right curriculum, but at the moment they were managing as best they could. Rika had never been the best student before she'd dropped out, but she taught Parley his studies whenever Natayla couldn't. At the moment, his older sister had disappeared somewhere, but they had gotten used to it by now.

Natayla watched Parley try to remember the meaning of a metaphor, before the phone rang and she got up to answer it. She walked up to the kitchen where the cordless phone was sitting on the counter, and picked it up on the second ring. "Hello?" she said, holding the phone up with her ear and shoulder.

A low chuckle was heard on the other end, and instantly Natayla was suspicious. "Who is this? I don't appreciate people laughing at the way I say hello," she said, hoping she sounded more sure than she felt. Tayla wished it wasn't who she thought it was.

"My apologies, Natayla, I didn't mean to be discourteous…" came the reply. "But I suspect you already know who I am."

Natayla squeezed her eyes shut as another chuckle met her ears. "What do you want, Boris? We've told you plenty of times, we don't want anything to do with you!" she said, raising her voice and causing Parley to raise his head.

"Oh, but I think you do. I am the one who gave you those wondrous bit beasts, or have you forgotten? My dear, I hope you haven't disregarded my kindness…or else there will be consequences to be paid." came the chilling reply.

She swallowed. "What do you want?" she repeated. 

"As you well know, Biovolt has been out of commission…" There was a pause. "For far too long. Without Black Dranzer in our possession, I became aware that we needed something else. Kai was a perfect candidate those long years ago…but now there are only you two to fill his place. The powers of your bit beasts are far greater than anyone else's alive! Join me, and you shall rise to the top along with Biovolt! And along with Voltare." the smooth voice said.

At the name of Voltare, Natayla's hand balled into a fist. "Anything else, Boris?" she said flatly, not interested in the slightest.

"Ah…I see you get right to the point, just as your friend does. I would enjoy talk-" 

Before he could say anything else, she had hung up.

Wordlessly she placed the phone back in its cradle. '_We may be tied to you, Boris, but we work for no one._' Glancing at Parley, she sighed and forced herself to get on with the day.

************************************

The clock against the wall chimed, and Kai looked up at the time. '_Half past nine…I guess time does fly when_ _you're having fun._' He thought sarcastically. His brown eyes stared out at the dark sky, listening to the others talk.

The whole day had been spent listening to Kenny talk about background checks, old registration files, and accounts about Boris's abbey while he tried to dig things up on the girls from yesterday. No luck so far. Now, everyone was in Kenny's room, prepared to go out night hunting.

"There _is_ a child involved, you know. We don't know if he's with them for right reasons, or wrong reasons." The Chief was saying, looking up every so often from his laptop.

"Yeah, yeah Kenny, c'mon! The sooner we get out there, the sooner we can find out what's going on. And put a stop to it if anything _is_ going on." Tyson said, quickly adding his last sentence.

"I feel like the FBI," Ray said from his position in one of the chairs. "And I don't particularly like the idea of being verbally mauled by that girl…again."

Max couldn't help but laugh. "Or have that kid weasel you out of some valuables." 

"Or, being accused of trying to molest him!" Tyson said, earning a loud snort from Max.

Kai frowned. "Enough. Lets go, we've wasted enough time."

And with that, he made his way out the door.

********************************************

Music pounded in her ears, forcing her to dull her heightened senses so a migraine didn't strike out of nowhere. The pulsing multitude of lights was sure trying it's hardest to give her one, though. It was bad enough the music was so shitty; she couldn't bear to even attempt to dance to it. '_Parley better not be trashing the apartment while we're_ _gone._' she thought, idly swirling the shot of liquor around in its glass. The lights reflected in her lavender eyes as she raised her head. The bartender was staring at her; a greasy towel slung over one shoulder. 

"You sure you want to be drinking that? It's illegal, you know." The bartender said, casting a glance over her. 

"Well no shit! But thanks for informing me the merits of coming to a crap-ass hole like this." Rika said, earning a frown. But eventually the man was forced to move to another drunk looking for a shot. She glared at nothing in particular, swivelling on her stool to observe the dance floor. Natayla was having fun dancing to the beat of the music, unknowingly earning a few reproachful glances as she spun around to the rhythm. 

Of course, Tayla didn't have a clue this was an illegal dance club. It was a nightclub for the underage teens, the ones that were fucking up the "18 or over" clubs by sneaking in. Rika knew the only reason Natayla had ever agreed to come, was the fact she was promised booze wasn't served in here. Evidently, it was…a lie, but what she didn't know couldn't hurt her. 

It wasn't like the other drunken assholes cared that they were still underage, but still got moonshine.

Rika's facial expression twisted as the alcohol seared her throat on the way down, her sixth shot of the night. Taking a deep breath, she let the drink settle in her stomach like a giant dose of anaesthesia. '_If I hurl, it's going be on that fucked up bartender._'

She could still feel his gaze on her back.

Before she had a chance to demand another shot, she saw Natayla sort her way through the dancing mob until she was standing in front of her. "Hey!" she greeted brightly, obviously pleased with the night. "I'm going to go check on Parley, I saw a payphone outside."

Rika nodded inaudibly, watching the redhead make her way to the door.

**************************************

A brown head of hair slunk around the corner, pausing at the sound of music blaring out of a dingy looking dance club. '_I bet there're a lot of druggies in there…_' Parley thought, slinking down across the streets. Darting down an alley, he was met with the sounds of scuffling coming from farther back. As the walked, he saw the shapes of a dish dug into the concrete, and of a bunch of older kids beyblading in it. '_Finally, sneaking out paid off._'

"Hey! Get out of here, you little runt!" A tall, dirty looking boy snapped.

Hands locked onto his upper arms painfully, and he was met with a gang of runaway street kids surrounding him. Each was a beyblader, he could tell. Maybe this was his ticket out of here, and back out where there were fewer psychos.

"Before you pound my face in, I wanna beybattle." Parley challenged, thinking how quickly this night had gone from good, to not so good.

The "leader" tilted his head for a moment, and then sneered. "Whatever you say."

********************************************

Natayla sighed as she walked out into the cool night air. That club was stuffy, not to mention smelly. She made her way to the payphone on the corner; intent on making sure Parley hadn't gotten the landlord mad again. Dialling, she listened to it ring…and ring…and ring…and ring. '_Just great…_' Tayla thought, hanging up.

Just as she was about to get Rika to check on him personally, a loud '_clang_' got her attention. Turning, she squinted off into the darkness, catching sight of something come rolling out of an alley. A beyblade. It spun tightly on its side, before falling motionless on the pavement. '_That's…Parley's blade…_'

Something along the lines of anger and fear surfaced in her chest. Sprinting up to the scrapped beyblade, she pocketed it and kept running. Her feet carried her down an alley, and out into the glow of lamps bolted into the brick walls. A group of kids was surrounded around something against the wall. Ignoring their angry cries of protest, she shoved through them and felt her fists clench at what she saw.

Parley was curled up against the wall, holding a bloody face with his eyes staring at her pitifully. Blood was leaking through his fingers and staining his sweatshirt. Fury surfaced in her, and she felt her own beyblade burn in her pocket. Turning she deftly took it out, pausing for a second at the shocked looks on the boy's faces, before launching it into the dish where their own spinning blades were.

Something bubbled inside her, and she couldn't stop the feeling rising in her chest. "SOLARIS!" 

****************************************

Rika scowled again, as the bartender left after another one of his lectures. '_Can't he take a hint? Or am I not blunt_ _enough?_' The glass in front of her was empty, and she stared at it balefully. After the numerous shots of liquor, she was starting to feel a real buzz in her head. Rika was tempted to ask for another, and while her thoughts debated, she didn't notice the hand rest on the counter beside her. Curling her fingers under the counter edge, she tilted her stool back, seeing the world from upside down. She couldn't hold back the laugh that exploded from her lips, making her seem like a real drunk.

"You really can't hold your liquor that well." A voice commented from her side. Her eyes flicked sideways, and landed on the upside down form of the dubbed jackass leaning on the counter. Fake fangs and all. 

Her stool fell back forward, and her head swung back up. Ignoring the enigma at her side, Rika turned her attention to the lights on the balcony, accidentally staring into a few.

"What's the matter? Afraid I'll report you?" Ray asked, doubting he was going to get much information from her. Drunk or not. It was hard enough finding where they were, not to mention finding one of them in this throng of people.

Rika sensed it, before it hit her. Her vision rapidly split until she was seeing quadruple. A sudden heaviness fell on her, like something was sitting on her shoulders. Rika blinked, as a freezing cold overtook her, and her head became so light and dizzy it was worse than over drinking. '_Not…now…_'

Rika felt like her mind was operating from far away, she barely noticed falling sideways, or having someone catch her. She felt drowsy, horribly fatigued. Two pinpoints of gold entered her line of sight, and she vaguely remembered what was happening. Or why. Forcing herself to get up, she barely managed to sit up in the person's arms. The person holding her slowly put her on her feet, and she shoved against their chest, pushing off. Staggering for the door, she frantically tried to stay upright, knowing she had to find Natayla. There was no time for liquor anymore. '_I have to get…out…_'

Before she knew it, she was running, viciously fighting for the door. Ray watched her, far past confused. One minute she was hanging off her stool like an idiot, before she nearly passes out in his arms. His eyes trailed her form down to the door, where she wiped out on the floor. He knew he had to follow. The others were around the club, and he caught their attention and gestured to the door before he ran out. The door swung open with a squeak, and the air hit his face in a blast of cold wind. Pushing past stragglers in front of the building, he darted out into the street and caught sight of Rika sprawled the concrete, fighting to get up. Kai and the others were right behind him, and they crouched down beside her. No one offered her help to get up, but no one was exactly happy about the idea of assisting one of Boris's lackeys. Her breath came in raspy wheezes, and slowly she raised one arm and pointed. Kai raised one eyebrow, but followed her finger with his eyes.

"There's people down there…but it's bad now, I know if it's with me too…" Rika murmured, seemingly babbling to herself.

Kai watched the horizon of buildings where she had been pointing. Nothing. When he was about to turn away, light flared into the sky. Dark golds and oranges flickered in the sky around two buildings. Deep inside he felt a pang of realization. 

'_I know…what that is!_' he thought in surprise.

****************************************

I sped through that…but oh well.  And I wish a big happy birthday to Space Lion! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOOOO YOU!!!! 


	4. Temper, Temper

Author's Notes:  Gwahahah!  Now that my classes are over for now, I get to write!  My fellow authoress did a wonderful job on the last chapter, and I seriously hope I can rise to the challenge of doing as well. ^_~

To answer jacet Munku-JGSPTV's question (thanks for the nice reviews, by the way!).. Rika and Parley are siblings.  We thought it'd be amusing for Rika to have a little brother, and who else but Parley?  He's such a cute little brat. ^_~

**************************************

Chapter 4:  Temper, Temper

'_Ah, shit_', was all Kai could think of when he saw the sky brighten, as if a neon billboard lighted it up.  He was paralyzed by the rich gold and amber illuminating the night – that is, for all of two seconds, and then he turned to his teammates and Rika.  She was trying to stand stubbornly, growling under her breath.

"Got to stop," she muttered incoherently, wishing she hadn't had quite so many drinks.  She listened dimly as Kai snapped out an order to follow him, not waiting to see if he would be accompanied.  '_Hell, he sure barks out those commands.'_  She let out a slight, hysterical giggle.  '_Dogs bark, but they're the ones being controlled.  That means he can't do anything, so suck it up and follow him_.'  With an effort that made her stomach contents raise to her throat, and her vision swim, she managed to straighten and start walking after Kai.  Well, sort of.  Ray watched her stagger and nearly fall, muttering under his breath as he reluctantly followed his captain and the mouthy blond.  Kenny, Max, and Tyson all shared three-way glances.

"I don't know what's going on, but I think Kai's gone insane," Kenny ventured, his voice quavering slightly.

"I think this whole thing's insane!  But if we don't go, they'll mess things up," Tyson said, offering an encouraging grin to the other two before jogging after the three.  Heaving identical sighs, Kenny and Max went after them.  Kai just reached the corner of the street entering into an alleyway when it hit him.  He shut his eyes against the painful chill, and it felt as if the sidewalk under him dropped away.  He nearly fell over as the sudden headache blossomed right between the eyes, but as soon as it came upon him, it left.

Ray blinked as Kai stopped, body swaying to the side, his hand flinging out against the wall to keep himself from falling.  "Kai?"  As soon as the word left his mouth, he could feel it, a cold wave that drained him, and then it passed.  '_What was _that_?_'  A low moan distracted him from dwelling too much, and he reached out just in time to keep Rika from collapsing.  She was pale, and looked like she had finally passed out.

"Stay with her," Kai directed, and then strode into the alleyway, his moment of weakness gone for now.  His mind was too busy thinking to worry about how suddenly exhausted he was.  _'The same as Black Dranzer.  Except when I used him, he only borrowed my energy, and he didn't steal it.  This is different.'_  Followed by Tyson, Kenny, and Max, he hurried down the alleyway, guided by the golden light that seemed to be glowing brighter, and then turned the corner.  The pulsating blinding glare made Kai cover his eyes with his arm, and he squinted ahead.  He could barely see anything, until the light dimmed a little.

The little thief that had stolen Ray's blade was propped up against the wall, his eyes closed, blood all over his face and sweatshirt.  Five other boys, dirty and older, lay on the ground, unconscious or…._'Let's hope they aren't dead, okay?'_  The last one standing was wavering; pain and fear clear on his face.  Two beyblades spun in a dish created in the concrete, but it was obvious that the dark red one was in completely control – toying with the other.  Fragments of other beyblades lay littered over the ground.

Kai noticed all of this within a few seconds, but two other things grabbed his attention and held it.  The source of the amber and gold light rose from the dark red beyblade, hind legs balanced, the whip-like tail thrashing as if alive.  Spikes rose from its back up between two bat-like wings, ending around its head, with two large horns.  The two front legs bore wickedly curved claws, and the fangs in its mouth, snout long and tapered, echoed them.  Kai recognized the bit beast.  It was a dragon.  A classic European dragon, complete with large, diamond shaped scales.

For all that he could recognize what the bit beast was, Natayla was a different story.  Her short, curly red hair twisted in the air, writhing like snakes, except that there wasn't a breeze.  Her gloved hands were balled into fists, and her eyes burned with an inner fire.  Her face was a frozen mask of anger; Kai could almost feel the rage emanating from this young woman.  There was no sign of secret amusement or cheerful smile.  

"Whoa," Tyson exclaimed, taking a step back.  '_I've never felt _anything_ like this before!  And here we thought these things would be like Black Dranzer!'  _He almost lost it, feeling a deep rooted fear but, taking in a deep breath, he managed to calm down.  Deep down, he was aware of the awe, fear, and anger, but he could push them away for now.  "C'mon, let's get the kid and the other five," he said, trotting forward.  It was hotter closer to the bit beast but fortunately he wasn't noticed; Natayla's eyes were on her opponent's, and they weren't moving.  Kenny and Max went to Parley to pick the little kid up.

Kai saw this with approval, but he knew the solution wouldn't last too long.  Natayla needed to be snapped out of the frenzy.  He didn't know her, and he didn't really care, but she was causing damage, and he couldn't let it continue.  He strode forward, skin burning as he got closer to the bit beast.  He knew it hadn't been so bad for his teammates because they weren't approaching it head on, but he went ahead anyways.  It was no worse than being quite close to Dranzer.

Natayla's arms rose, and her voice screamed out above the dragon's roar, "Solaris!  Finish it!"  But before the dragon could do anything, Kai whirled the teen around and slapped her, hard, his eyes determined.  He held onto her upper arm, the glare nearly blinding him, and so he couldn't see her fist until it connected painfully with his jaw.  The next thing he remembered was the ground at his back, his beyblade dropping out his pocket and rolling over the ground, and Natayla standing over him, green eyes darker with a power not her own as Solaris, the dragon bit beast, dived down at him from above.

He was utterly defenseless.  If he had Dranzer, he might've been able to get away, but it was too far out of reach now.  If it had been Natayla attacking him, he could've fought back.  But it was the dragon, and, instinctively, he knew that if he touched the bit beast he would probably die.  '_If if if.  There's nothing I can do now.  So long, life.  It's been interesting.'_

Kai shut his eyes tightly and waited for the blow to fall.

**************************************

Ray watched his teammates turn the corner, and then turned his attention to Rika, who was propped up against his shoulder.  But not for long.  She stirred almost immediately and tried to straighten on her own, but he held onto her waist.  She opened her eyes and stared at him, then snarled.

"Let go or I break your arm," she hissed out.  He scowled and dropped his arm quickly, stepping away.  Without the support, she nearly fell again, but narrowed her eyes and, through willpower alone, stood on her own.  Her violet eyes daring him to say anything, she turned and started walking down the alleyway, towards the light.

"What are you trying to do?  I know you're stubborn, you don't need to prove it," he said, trailing after her.  '_Why _am _I following her?  She's the biggest bit – uhh…._'  She had whirled around to face him, eyes glittering with wrath.

"First, you don't know a damn thing about me, so lay off.  Second, that's my friend doing the freakin' light show, and if I don't get to her, worse things will happen.  So either shut up or leave me alone."  With that, she turned again and stalked down the alleyway.  The only thing he could do was jog after her.  They came onto the scene just as three other colors joined the dark gold.  Dragoon and Draciel surrounded a larger bit beast, and Ray thought at first that they had the advantage, but for every strike they managed to hit, they seemed to dim.  It was as if the dragon took their energy every time there was contact.

Rika's eyes narrowed as she took in the situation, and then turned to her best friend, who hardly looked like the Tayla she knew.  She could sense another wave of power that would drain them all building, and she knew she had to stop it.  Rika cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed over the roars of the bit beasts, "Tayla!  Damn it, STOP!"

Sudden silence.  Natayla paused, and, suddenly, the dragon vanished.  Tyson and Max called their beyblades to them, and darkness fell once again.  Rika's ears were ringing, and little spots of light danced in her eyes, but she could finally see why the two had called their bit beasts.  The teen with the light blue hair lay on the ground, a spectacular bruise already forming on his jaw.  He was practically at Natayla's feet.

She stared down at him, uncomprehendingly, wondering what had happened.  She remembered phoning Parley and then – '_Oh…..no.'_  The stranger's dark eyes met hers and held her in place, when otherwise she would've run.  She couldn't handle the grim accusation that was clear in those cold eyes, though, so she looked downwards and saw the bruise.  '_Oh, no.  Nonono.  I did that – how could I – what else have I….'_  She felt very sick all of a sudden, hand clenching around the dark red beyblade, meeting his gaze again.  She trembled under his knowing look, wanting to step away, or at least say something, but she couldn't.  

Their locked eyes were interrupted when Tyson stepped in between, arms crossing.  "Don't you dare get any closer.  I don't know what's going on, but you're trouble."  Natayla swallowed hard and stumbled back, shivering.

"Tyson…." Kai murmured, shaking his head slightly as Tyson turned.  He stood, backed by Ray, Max, and Kenny.  Rika went to Natayla's side, her arms crossing, eyes threatening any of them to come closer.  Kai straightened, still watching Natayla.  What he had seen in those brief seconds when she realized she had done made him reconsider just what was going on.  Guilt and shame he had noticed and sort of expected, but there was also fear and confusion, which didn't make much sense.  He decided to lay all of his cards down.

"We know where you got the bit beasts from," he stated calmly.  Natayla visibly paled, her green eyes dropping to the ground, shaking further, but from what, Kai couldn't tell.  Rika merely snorted.

"Yeah, so?"

"You need to get rid of them!" Kenny exclaimed, gesturing to five street kids, and the other slight figure.  The one that had been left was already gone.  "They're dangerous.  What if the next time this happens, people die?"  Rika briefly looked them all over, but stopped once she saw Parley.

"What in the hell did you do to him?" she shouted, taking a step forward.

"We didn't do a thing, so stop assuming!' Tyson yelled back, glaring at the blond.

"They're telling the truth," came a whispered voice from beside her.  Natayla made a slight gesture with her hand towards the five.  "I saw them beating up on Parley, and I – I was just so angry…."  She trailed off, concentrating on the ground.

"We need to get him home," Rika muttered, passing by the Bladebreakers and picking up her brother gently.  He stirred a little, but soon dropped back off into an exhausted sleep, his head resting on Rika's shoulder.  Without looking back, she strode off, turning the corner.  Natayla gave the teens a wide berth, but as she passed Kai, she gave him a swift sideways glance.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled out, and before any of them could say anything, ran off fleetly.

Kai fingered the bruise on his jaw gently, staring down the alleyway.  Tyson muttered under his breath, and then said louder.  "So now what do we do?"

Ray shrugged.  "Isn't it obvious?  We managed to find them this time, but can we again?  I don't think so.  We follow, see where they end up."

Max made a face and glanced down at his shoes, which really weren't made for extended walking, and then yawned.  "Alright, but if we're going to do that……I want some coffee!  I can't keep this up much longer."

With a firm plan in mind, they set off.  Well, all except for one.  Kai glanced over the concrete dish, frowning at the furrows dug into it, presumably by the dark red beyblade.  The littered remains of the other blades lay by the walls, and on the brick structures, he could see scorch marks.  Now knowing just how much power the dragon had, he turned to leave, but one thought chased its way through his mind.  '_Do we really want to find out what else these bit beasts can do?….._'

**************************************

The two teenage girls and the younger boy entered the apartment building, unaware that they were being pursued – by more than one group, at that.  After they had walked in, an older man hit one of the buzzer's randomly, and replied to the resident's query, "Pizza here.  It's a special delivery, already paid for.  Your address won our third prize."

"Oh, wow!  I've never won anything before!" came an excited voice, and the man was buzzed in.  Giving a cruel smile at how easily these people were tricked, he tucked his completely empty hands into his pockets and made his way to the stairs.

**************************************

"Ugh!  If we ever run into those idiots again, remind me to punch those fake fangs out of that guy's mouth!" Rika vented as they took the elevator up to their apartment.  Parley had woken up, but felt really dizzy and sick, so Rika still carried him.  _'Not that I mind.  He doesn't weigh too much.'_

"I'll steal his beyblade again, if you want," Parley mumbled, managing to grin impishly.  A lot of the damage was superficial, but he did have one really angry looking cut over his cheek.  '_He's a resilient little bugger,_' she thought affectionately, and then glanced to Tayla, worried.  She hadn't said very much so far, and her face was still pale; green eyes dull.  Shaking her head, she moved out of the elevator and waited for Natayla to unlock the door clumsily.  They came into the apartment, but a figure leaning against the wall made Rika curse, Parley gulp, and Natayla to drop the key.

"And where have you three been?" the tall older teen drawled out.  His red/gold hair fell over his forehead in a few gentle curls, while his dark blue eyes stared at them, amused.

"Darien!  I thought you were studying at the college late tonight," Natayla stammered out, leaning down to pick up the metal object.  She straightened and eyed her brother warily, aware that he could probably tell if something was wrong right away.  He always had been able to read her.

"I thought I'd come home early to see my lovely sibling, my young blond friend, and our pet pig," he said, eyes drifting from Tayla, to Rika, and then to Parley.  "But imagine my surprise when I came home to an empty apartment."

Rika thought about lying, but knew that wouldn't get them anywhere.  Besides, she really, genuinely hated lying to Natayla's brother.  He had offered them a place to stay when things looked bad; had helped them out when they needed it the most.  He tried hard to take care of them all, but with his studies at the college, he couldn't be around all the time.  There had been a small amount of money that Darien and Natayla's parents had left to them before they died, and when Darien finished high school, Natayla had insisted that he finish his education and become a doctor, just like his childhood dream.  They managed.

So instead of lying or trying to worm their way out of this sticky situation, she turned Parley towards the older teen.  As expected, he dropped the interrogation and hurried forward to pick up Parley.

"What happened?" he asked the two girls as he carried the boy to the bathroom to clean out his cuts and scratches.  Rika glanced to Natayla, who dropped her eyes with a slight shake of her head.  _'So, we keep him out of the loop again.  I wonder how long she can keep up this charade for.  Well I'm tired of it.'_  Opening her mouth to explain the entire situation, she was interrupted by a knock at the door.  Natayla breathed silent thanks and rushed to it, looking through the peephole to see who was there.  Rika, Darien, and Parley came out of the bathroom just in time to see her reach up – _and lock the door_.

"What's going on?" Darien asked, confused.  Rika's eyes narrowed as her friend turned around, even more pale, if possible, fear dominant on her face.

"It's Boris again, isn't it?" Parley suddenly piped up, the bruises clear now with all the blood washed off.

"Boris?  _Again_?"  Rika snarled.  "Explain.  Now."

**************************************

Author's Notes:  Well…..this was fun!!  Action packed. ^_^  Okay, done for now!!!  Passing on the stick back to Dark Dragoon (or whatever name she's going by now….. o_O)


End file.
